Cleveland– Steel industry professionals, educators, students and friends gathered at Lincoln Electric Automation on September 24, 2010, for a Lincoln Electric SteelDay event. SteelDay is a day sponsored and supported by the American Institute of Steel Construction’s (AISC). This is the structural steel industry’s largest educational and networking event dedicated to providing accessibility to the latest happenings in the structural steel industry. Lincoln Electric joined more than 190 other event locations across the country that attracted more than 8,000 people total.
Chris Bailey, general manager, Lincoln Electric Automation Center, started the day off by introducing the event, Lincoln’s long history of serving the steel industry and then special guest, Diane Downing, Ohio Senator Voinovich’s District Director, and discussing the state of the U.S. manufacturing industry with a positive outlook for the future. Lincoln Electric’s Dave Mazak, national accounts manager, continued the day by discussing cost reduction through welded steel, what he views as an important message for steel industry professionals.
Following the morning presentations, all attendees were shown various stations of the Lincoln Automation Center’s build floor and application development lab to view product presentations and learn more about solutions for the structural steel industry. Erin Spier, floor production and integration manager, led the tour and provided facts about the Automation Center’s business and offerings, as well as growth since being established in 1991.
Jack Melvin, application engineer, introduced the new Vernon Tool MasterPipe™ Profiler (MPP) and provided a demonstration of the unit’s extensive cutting capabilities. Brian Simons, applications engineer, explained the Robotic Vision® capabilities of the System 35, and Bob Bandy, application engineer, provided a look at a customized robotic plasma cutting system. Dave Mate, application engineer, showed guests the Tandem MIG™ process, designed to increase customer’s production by using a dual wire process. Tandem MIG is also available as a robotic application.
And finally, Mike Whan, application engineer, provided a demonstration of Lincoln Electric Automation’s newest addition, the robotic beam cutting and scribing system. This system includes state-of-the-art technology with a laser vision system, as well as the innovative StruCIM 3D software that automatically generates programs for the robot to produce cut lengths, copes, holes, slots, notches, cutouts and layout submaterial markings for assembly.
After the build floor tour and product demonstrations, Vern Mesler of VJM Metal Construction Craftsman LLC introduced the longtime process of restoring bridges using everything from iron ore to steel. Lincoln’s own Omer Blodgett, known as “The Dean of Welding,” signed copies of his books during lunch while demonstrations of the VRTEX™ 360 virtual reality welding training solution were offered. Attendees were even able to try out the virtual reality welder for themselves.
Following lunch, Bruce Chantry, equipment portfolio manager, discussed Lincoln Electric’s welding equipment portfolio and Lisa Byall, welding consumables portfolio manager, introduced the company’s consumables portfolio. Lon Yost, global application engineer, expanded upon Mesler’s overview of bridge welding applications. Additional demonstrations using the FlexTec™ 450, several engine-driven welders and fume control products rounded out the show.
Editor’s Note: For a look at equipment featured at SteelDay and interviews with Deanna Postlethwaite, marketing manager, Lincoln Electric Automation and Omer Blodgett, visit www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/lincoln-electric-hosts-steelday-event.
Lincoln Electric is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln has 38 manufacturing locations, including operations and joint ventures in 18 countries and a worldwide network of distributors and sales offices covering more than 160 countries.
